Descriptive Studies Flashcards
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What is the definition of research?
Research is the search for knowledge or any systematic investigation to establish facts.
What are the main characteristics of research?
Systematic, logical, empirical, reductive, and replicable.
What makes a research question poor?
A vague or unspecific question, fishing expeditions, or data dredging.
What is the PICOTS format used for in research?
PICOTS stands for: P: Patients or problem, I: Intervention or exposure, C: Comparison group, O: Outcome or endpoint, T: Type of question, S: Study design.
Why is study design important in research?
It is the foundation of any research and helps achieve the research objectives.
What are the two broad types of study designs?
Observational (non-interventional) and Experimental (interventional).
What is descriptive study design?
Descriptive research uses qualitative and quantitative data to gather information and make accurate predictions without manipulating the environment.
What is the main goal of descriptive research?
To accurately and systematically describe a population, situation, or phenomenon, answering ‘what,’ ‘where,’ ‘when,’ and ‘how’ questions, but not ‘why.’
What is the objective of descriptive analysis?
To identify patterns and relationships using historical and current data to describe, demonstrate, or summarize data points.
What is the difference between descriptive and experimental research?
Descriptive research does not manipulate variables, while experimental research involves intervention and manipulation to test cause-and-effect relationships.
What is the difference between observational and experimental studies?
Observational studies (descriptive) involve no manipulation of variables, while experimental studies involve actively manipulating variables to observe outcomes.
What are the advantages of descriptive research?
It helps identify patterns, summarize data, and provides a broad understanding of a phenomenon without manipulating variables.
What are the limitations of descriptive research?
It cannot answer ‘why’ questions or establish cause-and-effect relationships.
What type of data is typically used in descriptive research?
Descriptive research primarily uses quantitative data, but qualitative data can also be used depending on the study.
